Rec center keeps islanders fit during winter months

By Cindy Cingone

Jill Goldstein and Bill Piva of the Jamestown Recreation Center have helped organize programs to keep islanders busy during the winter such as youth basketball, adult soccer, family yoga and Zumba. Photo by Andrea von Hohenleiten The Jamestown Recreation Center is successfully keeping islanders active and exercised during the snow-bound season. By offering a plethora of winter sports and fitness activities at low prices, the rec center has something for every age group to help them stay in shape over the long winter months.

According to Bill Piva, director of the Jamestown Parks and Recreation Department, the recreation center doesn’t compete with the YMCA or the Jamestown Fitness Center. By offering low pricing, it makes sporting opportunities and exercise classes more affordable.

“Participation at the rec center is going well,” Piva said. “We have good attendance in the majority of our activities.”

Some of the activities include youth recreational volleyball and youth league basketball, as well as instructional basketball for younger children through the third grade. Other youth programs include the Open Rec Center for fourth, fifth and sixth graders, and the Teen Center for teenagers in grades seven through 12.

For adults, there is over-35 basketball, over-40 soccer and over-18 recreational volleyball. Sport classes are offered at either the recreation center or the Lawn Avenue School gymnasium.

The center also offers rolling programs at the Jamestown Golf Course. Classes at the club include yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi and Zumba; they also hold rehearsals for the Jamestown Community Theatre with Mary Wright. The rec center has classes scheduled for every day of the week starting as early as 8:30 a.m. and ending as late as 9 p.m. to accommodate islanders’ busy schedules.

The charge for each class is $15, but participants can save 20 percent and buy a block of five classes for $60. With the block package, there is no expiration date or time frame to attend the courses, so participants can set their own schedules.

One of the offerings that Piva would like to bring back is the girls’ youth softball league. Participation has been receding over the last few years and the center had to cancel the team due to lack of interest.

In order to try to garner interest in softball, Program Supervisor Jill Goldstein is offering three separate teams: An instructional league for first and second graders, a junior league for third, fourth and fifth graders, and a senior league for sixth-, seventhand eighth-grade girls. Interested softball players can contact Goldstein at 423-7260.

For those planning ahead and thinking about the warm weather, the recreation center will offer two new programs that will begin this summer. Kids between the ages of 5 and 14 can experience 15 different sports from around the world with the Multi- Sports Club.

The sports have been coordinated by the U.S. Sports Institute and all activities take place in an atmosphere that promotes good sportsmanship and teamwork. A camper will receive technical instruction in each sport and will then experience the sport in a realistic game situation. Campers will participate in the USSI World Cup competition and will receive a T-shirt and a certificate. The camp starts July 11 and runs until July 15. Prices start at $139 for a half day and $179 for the full day.

Younger children, ages 3 through 5, can have their parents sign them up for the Sports Squirts Program. The program introduces children to a variety of sports such as soccer, T-ball, basketball, lacrosse and hockey, all taking place in a safe, structured environment. Activities are designed to evoke a child’s imagination by utilizing Shrek, Nemo and Sponge Bob Square Pants. All activities promote hand-eye coordination, movement and balance, while at the same time making the camp a fun experience for the kids. The Sports Squirts Program runs from July 11 to July 15, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and costs $79.

For a list of all the current and upcoming activities, the rec center can be found on Facebook and on the Town of Jamestown web site.

The Jamestown Recreation Center is located at 41 Conanicus Ave. For more information, call Piva at 423-7266, or the recreation center at 423-7266.